After the Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab called for reopening trade and commerce with Pakistan, the BJP and Congress lashed out at AAP national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, calling him “votebank bhakt”, reported The Indian Express. 

According to the report, the Bhagwant Mann government had called for the resumption of trade ties with Pakistan. Two days after the revocation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, India suspended all trade relations with its neighbouring country back in 2019. The call for reopening India’s borders for trade with Pakistan came from Punjab’s Agriculture Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal at the National Conference of State Agriculture and Horticulture Ministers in Bengaluru in July, according to IE. In one of the several “action points” presented at the Conference, Dhaliwal demanded that India resume trade ties with its neighbour after a long hiatus. According to IE, Punjab was the only state which had placed such demands.

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Reacting to the news, BJP’s spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala took to Twitter and wrote,  “AAP’s Pakistan Parasti parallels Congress pak prem! Much like Congress AAP had questioned surgical strike, demanded Balkote proof, blamed Pulwama on India.”

He further added, “On one hand Kejriwal claims he is a kattar desh bhakt but in reality he is a votebank bhakt. From abusing Hindus to Pakistan parasti AAP is mirroring Congress. AAP is now PPP – Pak Parast Party.”

Congress MP and former Union Minister Manish Tewari also took to Twitter and asked how the trade between India and Pakistan was possible when both countries have not “restored” their respective High Commissioners yet.

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“Often marvel at innocence if not nostalgia off my fellow Punjabi’s qua Pakistan. Is @KuldeepSinghAAP aware of the official position of Pak-NO TALKS with INDIA till J&K Constitutional changes are reversed. We do not have High Commissioners restored yet. Trade How?” Tewari wrote on Twitter.

Delhi BJP leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa, calling out Kejriwal’s “Pakistan Prem,” took to Twitter and wrote, “Drug influx frm Pak has ruined Punjab’s youth; but @AapPunjab Govt remains keen to resume ties with Pakistan! Kejriwal influence showing in AAP Punjab Govt’s “Pakistan Prem”. Hope better sense prevails over Mann Sahab & he stops following Kejriwal blindly.”